[War] US: On behalf of a grateful nation

[John Penta]

"On behalf of a grateful nation"
15 July 2014
Pres. John Williams
USA
=======================
<Arlington National Cemetery>

To the muffled, slow sound of the drums, a flag draped casket was
carried at a slow pace.'

Second Lieutenant James Arthur Wilcox, United States Army, originally
from Libertyville, IL, had been the first casaulty of the Azeri War. A
sniper had killed him; he'd only been on active service, out of
training, for 6 months when he'd died.

Thusfar, there hadn't been many American *wounded*, even. Which made
John Williams a singularly lucky President. He knew that, as he
silently rendered honors.

But somehow, it just didn't seem to matter much.

As the Chaplain led the graveside service, John silently watched. He
knew it all too well. Had been to far, far too many funerals for
comrades - even after they'd returned home, as suicide took its toll.
He'd carried that casket, as members of Lt. Wilcox's platoon had
carried his.

Eventually, the time arrived. The family had wondered to their
casaulty officer why the President never appeared at funerals.

Instead of a stock response, this casaulty officer had pulled out his
cellphone and made a few calls, asking precisely that question.

Previous presidents would have begged off. God knows, John Williams
had wanted to. Some tiny, dishonorable part of him had wanted to.

But he hardly could. Not when "luck and some damn accidents", as he'd
put it to Wilcox's father, had him as President, not a soldier on the
line.

So, quietly meeting with the deceased's father, he'd arranged to make
his own appearance. To present the flag to Wilcox's fiance.

As the flag was folded, as the rifle volleys sounded, he stepped out
of the crowd of mourners, approached the commander of the honor guard,
and saluted.

"Captain."

"Mr. President."

Silently, with the practiced grip of one who had done it far too many
times before, he took the folded flag and softly stepped forward, to
Wilcox's fiance.

Nobody would know, but he had to struggle to contain his own emotions
then. Fortunately, Thank God, there was a script. As he presented the
flag, he fall back on those words, words which had been said, would be
said, to far too many over the nation's history.

"Ma'am, this flag is presented on behalf of a grateful nation, as a
token of appreciation for your loved one's honorable and faithful
service. God bless you and this family, and God bless the United
States of America."

Wilcox's fiance, Kristy Brown, took the flag and whispered a soft
"thank you"...before handing the flag to her fiance's father and
breaking down in tears.

"Why?" she whispered. "Why him?"

Williams's heart broke, then. Willing himself to a quiet, dignified
control, he spoke softly.

"I can't answer that question for sure, but I can try," he said
softly. "If you want me to."

"I guess."

"Because he was a leader, and he was where a leader should be - up
front, taking the risks he asked those he led to take. Speaking as
someone who's been there...He was probably scared as hell, but when
the time came, he was there. That's all any of his troops, any of his
commanders, could possibly ask. And we thank God he *was* there. That
he was a leader who would share the risk, share the burden. Would risk
-his- life...to make sure that his troops got through it all."

Brown looked at him, eyes still filled with tears. "You mean that, don't you?"

"Ma'am...It never sounds right when you're saying it. I doubt it helps
much, right now. But it's the truth. He raised his right hand,
promised to lead, for any number of reasons, but he gave his life for
exactly one: Because the guys to his right and his left were -his-
troops, and he'd taken to himself the task of getting them home. And
y'know what? He did."

She smiled then. "He did do that, didn't he? Something to be thankful
for, I guess."

"Yeah. It hardly sounds like much, but...yeah."
---
Actions:
1. POTUS goes to funeral for first casaulty of Azeri War.
2. POTUS or SECDEF will appear at funerals *where possible*, but make
the point that it'd be physically impossible to do them all.
3. Try to comfort family and friends.